Mucho Macho Man won a three-horse driving finish Saturday afternoon at Santa Anita Park to win the 30th running of the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Taking the lead from 8-5 favorite Game On Dude around the far turn, Mucho Macho Man drew clear and then held off furious charges by Will Take Charge and Declaration of War to win America’s richest thoroughbred race by a nose.

Will Take Charge, 8-1, finished second and European invader Declaration of War, bet down to 6-1, was another nose behind in third in the 11-horse field.

Mucho Macho Man, second to Fort Larned in last year’s Classic at Santa Anita, won the Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 28 and remained in Arcadia until Saturday’s race. The 5-year-old son of Macho Uno gave Gary Stevens the Distaff-Classic double as Stevens won the Classic for the first time in 14 tries.

Fort Larned was fourth and Game On Dude suffered his first loss in six races this year, finishing off the board. The 1 1/4 miles over the main track was run in 2:00.72.

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